Page 7 of Love On Deck
The man’s graying head tilts sideways. “No…I think I understand. I’ll make arrangements for someone to be at the door at five forty-five tomorrow morning to let you in.”
* * *
The soft chimes and faint buzzing of his phone pulls Connor from sleep. He blinks into the darkness of his windowless cabin, finding coherence by degrees. The phone goes silent, and rolling over and going back to sleep is a very real temptation. But he made a promise to his sister and as much as she rubs him the wrong way sometimes, she’s the only family he’s got. Pulling the phone from under the pillow, he unlocks it and calls her back.
“Are you okay?” she asks in lieu of a greeting.
“I was napping.”
“Why?”
He sighs. “Because my workout wore me out, Casey. Hours and hours of intense physical exertion, remember?” Not to mention the late night.
“All right, all right, point made.”
Baba had ruled his high school years with an iron fist. He and Casey had learned punctuality and discipline and a strict work ethic at Baba’s hand. He’d resented her drill sergeant persona for many years, but he’s grateful for it now, truth be told. Even his coaches have commented on his focus and responsibility.
But he’s been on his own for nine years without getting arrested, addicted to anything illegal or detrimental to his health, or racking up so much as a bounced check or a speeding ticket. For some reason, Casey just can’t seem to accept he’s a functional adult. Whenever they’re together for any length of time, she seems to forget that fact and…shit. She’s talking about dinner.
“What?” he asks, rubbing the heel of one hand against his eyes. “I’m still half asleep.”
“Tonight’s the formal dinner. I thought we could go. You brought a suit, right?”
“Yes,” he says impatiently. Why she’s asking again, he doesn’t know. He told her when he bought it, and she asked in the car on the drive down to Galveston.
“Okay, good. Lobby deck, sixish, we’ll meet you in the aft atrium. See you later.”
He forces himself out of bed. If he doesn’t get up and moving, the lure of his warm nest of blankets just might get the better of him.
Chapter Three
Andrew’s the first one to arrive in the atrium it appears. While he waits, he meanders around. An older woman meets his eyes, smiles at him. He nods in reply. She reminds him of his great-aunt, Judy.
A dark-haired figure draws his attention, however, and his breath hitches at the realization that it’s Connor. Connor looking completely different from the Connor of last night as well as from the Connor of this morning.
The suit makes all the difference. The contemporary-styled plaid isn’t quite a classic charcoal color or a traditional blue, but somewhere in between, with light gray and yellow cross threads creating the plaid. The suit is gorgeous and tailored to Connor’s body perfectly, accentuating his well-built chest and showcasing those slim, muscular legs. But more than that, Connor exudes a masculine beauty and a confidence that kicks Andrew right in the gut. It’s not quite the same as what he saw last night in the bar, but equally heady. Sharp-dressed man, indeed. He wants another night with Connor. Badly.
Connor glides to a stop in front of him and Andrew doesn’t hide his appreciation. Their eyes meet and an electric charge flashes between them. “Holy shit,” Andrew murmurs. “You look amazing, Connor. That suit, God, it’s gorgeous. It suits you. It really does.”
Connor’s foreboding expression drops away and his eyes shine like the fairy lights above them, all soft and glowy. If that’s the reaction Andrew gets, then Connor must rarely hear honest-to-God compliments. On his baseball skills from his coaches, sure. On anything else, from anyone else who doesn’t want something from him? Andrew doubts it. Especially from Casey. Andrew’s always liked Casey. Has since the moment Will introduced them. Casey and Will are great together. Her treatment of Connor this morning raised Andrew’s hackles. If he’d known Casey and Connor better, he might have said something. But he doesn’t. For now, he’ll keep his own counsel.
“Thanks.” The hint of a blush stains Connor’s neck, making him look all of seventeen years old. He’s charming. Drew could admire Connor all night, but a familiar blond head catches his eye, and he lifts his chin to alert Connor. The light in Connor’s eyes dims, and he stiffens. The smile he adopts is a shadow of the one Andrew received not five minutes ago. He’s not sure what the deal is, but anything that causes Connor to fade like the air when the sun ducks behind a cloud is just plain wrong.
“You beat us here,” says Casey, eyes sweeping from one to the other. “Getting acquainted?”
“Working on it,” says Andrew easily. He hopes to, anyway, but Connor’s behavior this morning indicates it’s not going to be that easy. Finding out they are part of the same wedding party was a surprise, sure, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be friends with benefits. At least for the duration of the cruise. But he’s guessing Connor thinks otherwise for some reason.
Connor leans in and kisses his sister’s cheek and shakes Will’s hand. “You look beautiful, Case.”
Casey’s golden hair is swept up on her head and her dress is form-fitting though not tight. It’s pretty, but the pale peach makes her look washed out, in Andrew’s opinion.
“Is that your new suit?” she asks Connor, inspecting him.
His smile widens as he nods, and Andrew’s glad to see it.
“It’s a little…” Casey’s mouth purses as she considers her adjective.
“Gay” is probably the word she’s thinking, and she wouldn’t be wrong. But the homosexual vibe of the suit is subtle and only apparent if you know what to look for. But he can’t let her go where she’s going, because despite their short acquaintance and his lack of intel, Andrew knows that’s not what Connor needs. He glances at Connor, and—damn—it’s too late.
